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Scams and fraud

Latest telephone scam I have received.

(26 Posts)
Judy54 Mon 23-Nov-20 14:18:26

I received a call (not recorded) from someone who said "Hello my name is Simon and I am returning your call about the government's initiative for loft insulation" Well that's a new one on me! Of course I put the phone down but clearly the aim was to get me to say " No I never called you" and he could then go into his spiel about " Oh there must be some mistake, can you give me your name, while you are on the phone let me tell you how we can help etc" It's bad enough getting recorded nuisance calls but this is low level to indicate that you have left a message to be called back. Be aware!

Blossoming Mon 23-Nov-20 19:09:13

I’d just say ‘sorry, wrong number’ and cut them off.

Hellogirl1 Mon 23-Nov-20 23:23:05

I had a new one this morning, a female voice, foreign but with an American accent, said "My name is Ell, I`m calling regarding your telephone call blocking service". It was 8am and I very politely told her where to go.

Rosieroe Tue 24-Nov-20 15:44:00

I had a call with a robotic voice informing me that I had a court referral for tax evasion!!

AGAA4 Tue 24-Nov-20 15:54:06

I have had a few scam calls but it is always good to hear about others so thanks. Need to be alert.

Rufus2 Wed 25-Nov-20 01:46:42

All my incoming landline phone calls go to my answering machine.
If it's a "cold" call, they hang up as soon as they hear my recorded greeting. They, or "it" don't want to waste time talking to a machine as much as I don't want to waste my time either!
Don't even speak to answer questions as your "Yeses" and "Nos" could be recorded, obviously in your voice, and used for other purposes such as "Agreements".
Don't worry; it can't happen to you! hmm

Floradora9 Wed 25-Nov-20 22:10:36

Our BT phone screens all number and if they are not on our list the caller had to state their name . We have not had a spam call in years now .

LauraNorder Wed 25-Nov-20 22:15:53

thanks for the warning Judy54, better safe than sorry and forewarned is forearmed both spring to mind.

Galen Wed 25-Nov-20 22:22:29

I had 3 yesterday purportedly from Amazon!
One yesterday and again today saying they were from BT about my internet.
Getting fed up with them.

Georgesgran Thu 26-Nov-20 10:48:29

Urgent text this morning saying my PayPal account has been used fraudulently. Couldn’t care less, as I don’t have one.

goose1964 Thu 26-Nov-20 11:04:25

We have sky shield, where calls from numbers not on the allowed list have to announce themselves.No spam calls

25Avalon Thu 26-Nov-20 11:09:04

Another scam I’ve just heard of - you renew your driving licence f.o.c. And then you receiving an official looking email asking you to confirm your details including credit card. So please be aware and don’t fall for it.

PollyDolly Thu 26-Nov-20 11:11:36

I just pretend to be very eccentric and batty, my OH is always in fits of laughter when I try to engage the caller in conversation on totally bizarre and random topics, they soon hang up too. Try it yourselves, it is very entertaining and has brightened many a gloomy day in our house!

rockgran Thu 26-Nov-20 11:37:15

I have just had a robotic voice with a posh English accent but talking with very poor English vocabulary. Bit of a give-away.

Forestflame Wed 17-Mar-21 22:19:26

Had a call on my mobile yesterday which I missed, so the caller left me 2 voicemails saying I would be taken to the 'county Court house' and to phone them back. Recorded message in American accent. Needless to say I didn't call back and blocked the number. I never answer either my landline or mobile unless the caller is in my directory. There is a very good website called 'who called me' where you can report scam calls and check whereabouts they came from.

Hithere Thu 18-Mar-21 02:28:41

The latest - my social security number has been suspended! Gasp!

Shinamae Fri 19-Mar-21 16:22:29

As soon as I realise it’s a scam which is very early on I just keep saying hello, hello, hello".......HELLO.....
Then hang up

Sonatina7 Sat 20-Mar-21 10:56:53

I bought a washing machine from Currys recently. Yesterday, I got a very professional looking email from 'Currys' telling me a Dyson would be mine for taking a short survey. Checked it out, yet another scam. Beware the Currys emails!!

harrigran Tue 23-Mar-21 12:31:02

I had a call on my mobile yesterday, I was told that the police were on their way to arrest me for tax fraud unless I pressed 1 to speak to the manager.
I think the caller would be having a conversation with his mother as to who his father might be, I certainly made it plain what I thought he was.
This morning my web browser froze and I got lots of red boxes come up which said I had been infected with a trojan virus from a porn site, to unlock the screen I had to ring the helpline number and let them take control of my computer. The Microsoft edge wording looked authentic and would fool anyone. I ran a full scan and my computer is fine but be warned it is a most professional looking scam.

Blossoming Tue 23-Mar-21 13:19:00

It seems they are on the increase thanks to lockdown.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-56334466

M0nica Tue 23-Mar-21 13:19:51

DH is still working so we do get calls from unrecognised numbers that he needs to speak to.

My tactic, if I do not recognise the munber, is to pick the phone up, listen silently. If it is a scam call, after a few seconds you will hear a sight click as the waiting taped message clicks off and I end the call. if there is no click, I say hallo, or the caller says hallo and I can hand it to DH or start to chat if appropriate.

I have no idea what the scam calls are, as I never hear any of them.

Lucca Tue 23-Mar-21 13:22:41

I got one on my mobile today, thought it was consultant ringing so answered and somebody started on about my national insurance number having been compromised. Ignored it,

lemsip Tue 23-Mar-21 13:37:17

thanks for that link Blossoming......

here is another interesting link

www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000thg3/click-taking-on-the-covid-scammers

harrigran Wed 24-Mar-21 17:47:49

I had the national insurance fraud scam call this morning, I was told to press one to speak to the manager, failure to do so would have me arrested immediately. Another criminal I told to " go forth and procreate ".

DiscoDancer1975 Thu 25-Mar-21 15:49:44

Are you sure it wasn’t recorded? I had these about six months ago. It was done so well, it took me a while to figure out it was a message. I usually like to ‘ play ‘ with them a bit! but no point if it’s recorded, usually. This sounded, at first, real.